Media devices, such as a set top box, are configured to receive media content events from a broadcasting system. Non-limiting examples of media content events include movies, news programs, sporting events, serial comedies or dramas, and other thematic-based media content even programming. Media content events may also include advertisements, commercials or the like.
The media content events may be communicated to the media device by a program service provider over the broadcasting system. Non-limiting examples of broadcasting systems include satellite systems, cable or other wire-based systems, or over the air (OTA) broadcasting systems. Media content events may also be accessed from other sources, such as a web site or an on-demand content source via the Internet or other suitable communication system.
The video portion and audio portion of a media content event is presented to a user(s) by components of a media presentation system. For example, the video portion of a present media content event may be viewed on a display of a television (TV) or the like. The audible portion of the media content event is presented as sounds emitted by a speaker or the like.
On occasion, a user viewing presentation of the media content event may be interested in accessing supplemental information about the media content event. For example, the user may be viewing the presented media content event at a public place or in a foreign country. Thus, the user may be interested in learning the title of the media content event, learning about the theme of the media content event, learning the names of actors in the media content event, or learning other information about the media content event. Preferably, the accessing the supplemental information may be made without disrupting presentation of the media content event on the primary display, which also might be being viewed by other individuals. Or, the user may be interested in accessing other types of supplemental information, such as closed captioning text and/or an alternative language audio track.
Accordingly, there is a need in the arts to allow a user to access information related to a presented media content event, particularly when accessing such information would interfere with presentation of the media content event to other viewers.